There are no applications related to this application filed in this or any foreign country.
It is well-known that increasing numbers of people, including the young in particular, have been experimenting with new forms of jewelry, including jewelry which depends for its support on piercing portions of the body, including the tongue and locations on the face, including cheeks, lips and nostrils.
Referring to FIG. 1, Prior Art, the known body piercing jewelry 400 typically provides upper and lower balls 401, 402 and an interconnecting threaded stud 403. The upper and lower balls are typically carried on either side of the tongue 100, cheek, lip or nostril.
While such jewelry is fashionable in certain company, the long-term effects of pierced tongues, lips, cheeks and noses are generally undesirable. The damage to tissue may result in scar tissue formation and infection.
What is needed is a new form of ornamental jewelry, having a structure and method of application which does not do permanent damage to the user, which does not require the body to be pierced, but which delivers the full effect of conventional body piercing jewelry.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for an ornamental body piercing jewelry substitute and method of application.
The present invention is directed to an apparatus that satisfies the above needs. A novel ornamental body piercing jewelry substitute and method of application which does not require any body piercing, but which does appear to have resulted in body piercing is disclosed.
The body piercing jewelry substitute and method of application of the present invention provides some or all of the following procedural steps.
(A) A location on the user""s body is selected for the application of the body piercing jewelry substitute. The location selected is typically the user""s tongue, or the outside of the cheek.
(B) The selected location is slightly dampened by water or saliva.
(C) The body piercing jewelry substitute, including a body 20 having an exterior sidewall 21 within which is defined an interior cavity 30 and including a lower rim 22 defining an opening 23 which allows air to move into and out of the cavity, is placed on the selected location.
(D) The air pressure is reduced in the area 500 adjacent to the body piercing jewelry substitute. Reduction of the air pressure adjacent to the body causes some air to leave the cavity defined within the body.
(a) Where the body 20 is carried by the user""s tongue, the air pressure is reduced by the user by orally sucking, typically by withdrawing the tongue while keeping the lips closed.
(b) Where the body is carried by slightly dampened skin, the air pressure is reduced by application of a suction cup 300.
(E) The air pressure is restored to normal levels in the area adjacent to the body. Due to the lower air pressure within the cavity of the body, the surface of the tongue or skin is drawn slightly into the opening 23 defined by the rim 22 of the body, thereby maintaining a seal between the tongue or skin and the rim 22.
(F) The body piercing jewelry substitute may then be moved by sliding the lower rim 22 along the damp surface of the tongue or skin. For example, the body piercing jewelry substitute may be slid from the cheek to the lip or nose, if desired.
(G) The body piercing jewelry substitute may then be removed by gently breaking the seal between the rim 22 and the supporting tongue or skin.
It is therefore a primary advantage of the present invention to provide a novel body piercing jewelry substitute and method of application which does not require the skin of the user to be pierced.
Another advantage of the present invention is to provide a novel body piercing jewelry substitute and method of application which may more easily put on and taken off by the user than conventional body piercing jewelry.
A still further advantage of the present invention is to provide a novel body piercing jewelry substitute and method of application which does not result in body deformation, disease or susceptibility to infection.
Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the specification and the accompanying drawings.